Fixture for controlling the trajectory of wires to reduce crosstalk

• US 6,379,175 B1
• Filed: 03/25/1999
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nordx/CDT Inc. (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nordx/CDT Inc. (Belden Inc.)
• Inventors: Reede, Ivan
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nino, Adolfo
• Application Number:
  US09/275,988
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 174/47, 174/95, 174/96, 174/97, 174/138.E, 174/113.C, 174/131.A, 174/135, 439/418, 439/676
• US Class Current: 439/418
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6463 using twisted pairs of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6477 by variation of dielectric properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices

Abstract

A fixture is provided adjacent to a cable containing multiple twisted pairs. The fixture includes longitudinal channels for controlling the trajectory of the wire pairs after the twisted pairs have been exited the cable and have been detwisted. The fixture maintains the wire pairs in an orientation beneficial for reducing crosstalk.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with a multi-wire cable having a plurality of twisted pairs of insulated conductors, the cable having a proximal exit region adjacent to a detwisted region wherein said plurality of twisted pairs of insulated conductors exit said cable and are de-twisted into a plurality of pairs of singular conductors, the apparatus comprising:

a fixture having a distal region transversely adjacent and axially aligned with the multi-wire cable and inserted into the multi-wire cable;

said fixture controlling the trajectory of each singular conductor of said plurality of pairs of singular conductors through said de-twisted region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fixture includes a body portion that is substantially cylindrically shaped and tapers toward the distal region.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fixture includes a plurality of longitudinal channels wherein said plurality of pairs of singular conductors are disposed within said plurality of longitudinal channels.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said fixture is generally cylindrical and said plurality of longitudinal channels are disposed in a helical pattern on an exterior surface of said fixture.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said plurality of longitudinal channels are arranged in pairs on said exterior surface of said fixture, wherein said channels arranged in pairs diametrically opposed to each other in a substantially X orientation.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said plurality of channels are arranged such that the pairs of singular insulated conductors are guided into a pre-determined arrangement and orientation for mating with a mating connector.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said channels are substantially U shaped.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said plurality of channels are W shaped for separating each of said pair of insulated conductors in said twisted wire pair from the other.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said plurality of channels further includes a pair of outside channel walls defining each channel of said plurality of channels.

10. The apparats of claim 9, wherein said outside channel walls are composed of a dielectric material.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said outside channel walls are composed of a conductive material.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said outside channel walls are composed of a ferromagnetic material.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said outside channel walls are composed of at least from the group consisting of a dielectric material, a conductive material, and a ferromagnetic material.

14. An apparatus for use with a multi-wire cable having a plurality of twisted pairs of insulated conductors, the cable having a proximal exit region adjacent to a detwisted region wherein said plurality of twisted pairs of insulated conductors exit said cable and are de-twisted into a plurality of pairs of singular conductors, the apparatus comprising:

a fixture having a distal region and a head region;

said fixture having at least a portion of said distal region transversely adjacent and axially aligned with the multi-wire cable and inserted into said proximal exit region of the multi-wire cable;

said fixture having a plurality of longitudinal channels extending from said distal region into said head region, wherein said plurality of pairs of singular conductors are disposed within corresponding longitudinal channels and wherein each singular conductor of said plurality of pairs of singular conductors in said de-twisted region are guided by said plurality of longitudinal channels such that the trajectories of each singular conductor of said plurality of pairs of singular conductors are controlled.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the fixture includes a body portion that is substantially cylindrically shaped and tapers toward the distal region.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said plurality of longitudinal channels are disposed on an exterior surface of said fixture.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein,

said fixture is generally planar having a top surface and a bottom surface;

said plurality of longitudinal channels includes a first plurality of longitudinal channels disposed on the top surface and a second plurality of longitudinal channels disposed on the bottom surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said plurality of channels are arranged such that the pairs of singular insulated conductors are guided into a pre-determined arrangement and orientation for mating with a mating connector.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the fixture comprises a laminated structure of materials.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the laminated structure includes a top material, a bottom material and an intermediate material.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the top material and bottom material are comprised of a dielectric material.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the dielectric material is Mylar®

.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the top material has a first thickness and the bottom material has a second thickness.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first and second thicknesses are substantially equal.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first and second thicknesses are unequal.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the intermediate material is a conductor.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the conductor is stainless steel.

28. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a mating connector adjacent to said head region wherein said longitudinal channels orient said insulated conductors into a pre-determined arrangement for mating with said mating connector.

29. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said plurality of longitudinal channels are U-shaped.

30. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said plurality of longitudinal channels are W-shaped.

31. An apparatus for controlling a trajectory of each singular conductor of a plurality of pairs of singular conductors of a multi-wire cable through a de-twisted region where the conductors exit the cable, the apparatus comprising:

a fixture having a distal region transversely adjacent to and axially aligned with the cable and a head region;

the fixture having a plurality of longitudinal channels extending from the distal region to the head region, wherein each pair of the plurality of pairs of singular conductors is disposed within a corresponding longitudinal channel; and

wherein the plurality of longitudinal channel are W-shaped, having two sub-channels within each longitudinal channel such that each singular conductor of the pair of singular conductors disposed within the longitudinal channel is disposed within a corresponding sub-channel, the sub-channel controlling the trajectory of the singular conductor through the detwisted region.